Page 133 of The Nanny and the Nerd
“Fine! Last night I ate a dozen chocolate chip cookies,” he confessed.
“And…” Mitch pressed.
Rowen stared at the ground. “And a piece of pizza.”
Mitch sniffed him again. “A piece?” the man said, unconvinced.
Jesus! Could a guy get some damned peace and quiet to think?
“All right! I ate an entire extra-large pizza. I’ve got a lot on my plate!” he exclaimed, exasperation coating the words.
“No shit!” the tank of a man, Erasmus, replied. “A dozen cookies and an extra-large pizza? I can’t even put away that much.”
“Are you twisted up over Penny?” Landon asked.
“It’s just work,” he lied.
“Mate,” Erasmus said, skepticism written all over his face. “You had us pack up her things and then asked me to color code her socks and underwear. Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing worse than a drawer of mismatched socks, but you like her. You have from the start. Even a beefcake like me could see it.”
Rowen swallowed hard. “I love her,” he confessed.
“We’re allowed to do that—like fall for the kid’s nanny?” Landon asked, wide-eyed.
“Then why do you look like this?” Mitch questioned. “I’m no fan of love. In fact, I think it’s bullshit. But when most people say they’re in love, they do it with a smile.”
Rowen sighed. “Because it doesn’t matter how I feel. I can’t be with her.”
“But you love her,” Raz said, sharing a look with the guys.
Rowen rubbed the knots in his neck that seemed to be multiplying by the second. “Listen, I appreciate the gesture of ambushing me at a park. But I’m not sure why you made the trip. If Madelyn wants to yell at me, there’s not much stopping her.”
“We’re here because you’re the first to go through this nanny match, and you’re freaking us out. You look like you’ve been run over by a dump truck,” Landon exclaimed, then glanced from side to side.
“What are you looking for, Landon?” Rowen asked. Jesus! This guy!
Landon pulled down his hat. “Paparazzi! They can come out of nowhere.”
“Hey, heartthrob, you were in a boy band. Nobody cares that you’re at a park in Denver,” Raz huffed. “I don’t see any press here.”
“Yet! There’s no press here yet. And women thirty to fifty-five still can’t get enough of me. So, I have to keep my guard up,” the man replied, glancing over his shoulder.
Mitch shook his head at Raz and Landon. “Look, we wanted to give you a heads-up. Madelyn gave us the third degree when she called. We’re making an effort here! I’m not a nice guy. Landon’s pretty dammed full of himself. And Raz is…” Mitch inspected the towering Erasmus. “A fucking huge former athlete, so I’m not messing with him. Figure your shit out, Rowen,” Mitch finished.
Rowen kicked at a mound of dirt. “I got it. I’ll handle it,” he answered, staring at these men, oddly grateful to have them there.
“We’re done here. Good luck,” Mitch huffed when Raz pointed toward a cluster of picnic tables.
“Do you know them?” the big guy asked.
Rowen looked over his shoulder, and his stomach dropped.
“Rowen Teagues Gale! I have some questions for you, young man!”
Sweet Christ!
How much worse could this day get?
Twenty-Eight
